Apparatus for fixing relative positions of members photographed on motion-picture film



March 18, 1952 s. KNEITEL 2,589,825

APPARATUS FOR FIXING RELATIVE POSITIONS OF MEMBERS PHOTOGRAPHED ONMOTION-PICTURE FILM 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed April 29, 1949 INVENTOR.

SEYMOUR KNEITEL ATTNEY March 18, 1952 KNElTEL 2 589,825

5. APPARATUS FOR FIXING RELATIVE POSITIONS OF MEMBERS PHOTOGRAPHED ONMOTION-PICTURE FILM Filed April 29, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 MUSIC IN VENTOR.

BY SEYMOUR KNEITEL ATT RNEY Patented Mar. 18, 1952 UNITED STATES FATENTOFFICE APPARATUS FGR FIXING RELATIVE POSI- TIONS OF MEMBERS PHOTOGRAEHEDN MOTION-PECTURE FILM 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus employed in conjunction with motionpicture cameras, in taking a series of motion picture film so toregulate and adjust relative positions of two or more members orelements in the successive pictures taken so as to produce on theresulting film length, relative motion between said members or elementsin the projection of said film. More particularly, the invention dealswith a camera bed having means for adjustably supporting a plurality ofsong sheets or strips thereon, and means comprising an adjustable andswinging arm and a slide supporting said arm for moving an object on thearm relatively to the script on said song sheets or strips.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing descriptions when taken together with the accompanyingdrawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed,and in which the separate parts are designated by suitable referencecharacters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a camera which I employ.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the central portion of the bed of the camera,omitting part of the structure shown in Fig. l, and with parts brokenaway.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 44 of Fig. 2, on an enlargedscale.

Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views of other forms of members or elements whichI employ.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of an instruction or guide sheet employedto guide the photographer in the taking of successive pictures in production of the resulting film; and

Fig. 8 is a detailed view of one edge portion of two word strips which Iemploy, on an enlarged scale.

In the art of producing motion picture film wherein members or elementsare moved relatively to each other, it has been customary to utilizetransparencies upon which the member or element, which may be an objector a figure, is arranged in difierent positions on successivetransparencies, as successive transparencies are photographed, in orderto produce motion in the resulting film. Here, the word is intended tomean a successive series of pictures constituting a, film.

In illustrating one adaptation and use of my invention, I have shown itas applied to the production of what has been commonly referred to asthe bouncing-ball movable relatively to the word script of a song toaccentuate and guide in the singing of such song. One adaptation ofthis,

invention wherein transparencies, as referred to above, was used, isdisclosed in Patent 1,573,696 granted February 16, 1926.

My present invention deals with the use of mechanical means rather thantransparencies for positioning one member or element, such for example,as a ball, relatively to the script on a word sheet, thus eliminatingthe time and labor required to produce the numerous transparencies whichotherwise would be required. It will thus be apparent that production offilm of the type and kind under consideration can be expedited,simplified and materially economized.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown in perspective, diagrammatically,a conventional camera arrangement, such as employed in studios forproducing film of the type and kind under consideration. The camera isgenerally identified at 18, H and H illustrating the illuminating meansfor the copy holder or bed l2 of the camera. At the back of the bed [2is a hinged glass or other transparent plate [3 which is usually swungover the objects being photographed, in taking pictures, and theoperative mechanism which I employ is disposed beneath such glass ortransparent member when in its lowered position.

The bed comprises a central round table portion M, with table ends :5and I E, and adjustable longitudinally of the tables, are two peggedslide strips I! and I8 adjustable by cranks l9 and 28 respectively. Thetable 54 has backwardly and forwardly arranged and longitudinally spacedsheet guide strips 2! and 2t, on the central portion of which isarranged similar and aligned scale markings 22 and 22. Slidably mountedbetween the strips 21 and 21' are song word strips or sheets, as at and25, having common markings at opposed ends thereof, as more clearlyillustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawing, in which one edge portion of thetwo strips 23 and 24 is shown, and it will appear that the strip 23 hastwo markings A and B, and the strip 24, markings identified by thereference characters C and D.

Disposed over the strips 23 and 24, between the strips 2i and 2t andarranged on the peg strip !l, is a masking sheet 25, which masks outeverything on the strips 23 and 24, except two lines of verse, forexample, the lines 26 and 21, which lines appear in the aperture 28 ofthe mask. It will be noted that the line 23 is on the card 23, whereasthe line 2'! is on the card 24. The relative movement and shifting ofthe card strips 23 and 24 will be later described.

Secured to the strip i8 is a plate or frame 29 which includes atransversely extending rectangular plate portion 30 and a longitudinallyextending arm 3| disposed over the strip 18 and upon the latter issecured a scale strip 32 having scale markings extending longitudinallythereof for a length equal to the distance between the strips 2| and 2!.Any suitable scale markings, as diagrammatically seen at 33 may bearranged on the strip, and only part of such markings arediagrammatically shown, but they may, for example, comprise the numeralsto 230, to form guide markings guiding adjustment of the frame 29relatively to the indicator mark 3% .on the table It.

Rotatably mounted in the rectangular plate 38 of the frame 29, andarranged upon the upper surface of said plate is a tooth-disc 35 havinga fingerpiece or operating knob 36. The disc 35 also has a series ofgraduated markings, as at 31, movable relatively to an indicating point33 on the plate 3%. At one side of the plate 30 is a dove-tailedslideway 39, in which is slidably mounted a rack bar 48, whichoperatively engates the tooth-wheel 35, so that as the wheel 35 isrotated, the bar G0 is moved forwardly and backwardly in the groove 39.

Hinged to the bar il], as seen at M, is an arm 52 which is adapted toextend over and to move relatively to the word lines of the strips 23and '24. In the present illustration, the arm or the ball member 43carried thereby is moving relatively to the line 25 on the card 23.

The ball member or element has a key-type "supporting portion Mibevelled to seat in a bevelled socket 45 in the arm 32, as clearly seenin Fig. 4 of the drawing. In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown other membersor elements 43' and 33" mounted on supports i t and 44", which are alsoinsertable into the socket 45 of the arm 42.

' The member or element 43 shows a ball in a slightly flattenedcondition, whereas at 43", the ball is illustrated in an extremelyflattened condition. These latter members or elements are utilized whenthe arm is brought in close proximity to one of the words or part of aword in line 25. so as to give the afiect of flattening of the ball, asit hits or strikes the word or syllable in question. In other words,when the photographs are taken, with the arm in such positions, themember 63 will be first substituted for the member 43 and then themember 3 substituted, after which the member 43 will again be used asthe ball rises from the last word or syllable.

At this time, it will be well to point out that in addition to themasking, all of the subiect appearing on the table It, between thestrips 2! and 2|, except for the opening 2%, the arm '42 including thekey mounting M, M and i t is also masked out by blacking or shading thesame to a color consistent with that of the mask 25. However, the memberor element 43, 43' and 43" will be of such color as to show or bereadily photographed upon the masked or colored areas over which thesame is travelling, so that the only thing that will appear on theresulting picture will be the'two lines 26 and 21 and the member orelement 43, '43 and 43" arranged thereover.

It will be understood that the hand wheels I9 and 29 have suitable gearconnections with the respective rails l1 and I8 to move the samelongitudinally of the camera bed. As the present invention dealsprimarily with the adjustment of the strip I8, diagrammatic showing ofthe operation. :of this strip is indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawing. On the shaft 46 of the wheel 28, at the rear end thereof issecured a pinion 41 which operates a gear 58 on a shaft carrying a gearor pinion as, the latter operating upon a rack 58 on the under-surfaceof the strip [8, as will be apparent. By this construction, a relativelyfine adjustment of the strip I8 is provided, so as to bring the markingsor graduations 33 in registering alinement with the gauge mark orindicator 3:; in shifting the position of the element Q3 across thestrips or sheets 23 and 24.

At this time, it is not important to point out specifically, anyparticular type of gauge markings or scales, except to note that asuitable adjustment is provided for moving the arm 42 across thephotographed area of the table l4, while at the same time, adjusting theposition of the member or element 43 vertically with respect to the line25, which latter adjustment is provided by moving the knob 35 or thescale 31 thereof relatively to the indicator 38. At this time it willalso be understood that after the member is has reached the end of theline 26, then the two cards or strips 23 and 24 are adjusted through aseries of stages, bringing the markings A, B, C and D in registeringpositions with the scales 22 and 22 fora successive series of pictures,until the line 2? assumes the .position of the line 25. During thisoperation, the arm 12 is adjusted to bring the ball or member 23 fromthe right hand side to the left hand side of the photographed area in asuccessiveseries of photographed positions, and then another card, notshown, will be placed below the card 24 and the card 23 will be removed.The next adjusted position of the cards will be the card 24, to aposition similar to that occupied by the card 23 in the drawing, and thenext successive card will assume a position similar to the card 24.li'his operation will continue until the complete verse of the song hasbeen photographed.

As each line or verse is brought into position for singing, the ball orother member 43 is moved downwardly through a successive series ofphotograph stages until it strikes or hits the word when, then passesthrough an upwardly and downwardly extending loop until it strikes theword you, and so forth, until each word, or part of a Word on the linehas been accentuated to guide in the singing of the song. By providingthe hinged mounting of the arm i2,'the arm can be swung to the left togive free access to the bed or to leave this bed fully exposed for anyother photography purpose.

Considering Fig. 7 of the drawing, here is shown part of an instructionor guide 'sheet which is used by the photographer, as a means to guidein the setting of the cards or strips 23 and 24, and so forth, as wellas to guide the adjusted positions of the member or element 43 and itsassociated elements. On this instruction sheet or guide, we areparticularly concerned with the columns dealing with the ball or element'53, which column is designated by the :reference character 5!, in Fig.'7, and the column 52 headed by the abbreviation Pos. designates theposition of the ball. The column 53 designates the card and the column'54 the position of the card. On the instruction card or sheet, line 55shows positions to and Ill position Hl identifying the scale marking ofthe disc 35 registering with the indicator 38, and position Hi3indicating the registration of the scale 33 with the indicator 3%. Underthe heading Card, 'or in other words, column 53, and the column 54-,there will be no change, for the reason that cards one and two willassume aposition where B on card one registers with characters ID on thescales 22 and 22, and this position is maintained for a long series ofpictures, oruntil the card 23 is raised and the card 24 moved to bringthe line 21 in position corresponding to line 26.

When this change takes place, suitable instructions will appear in thecolumns 53 and 54, reference being made to the characters A, B, C, and Don the cards or similar characters as appearing on successive cards thatmay be used. Attention is also directed to lines 56 and 51, in whichlines the numeral one appears, which means that the ball or member 43 isphotographed two successive times in the same position. However, inthese positions, the numbers 43' and 43" will be used, as this is theposition in which the ball theoretically strikes or bounces on the wordor phrase. For purposes of description, the strips l1, 18, the strips2|, 2|, frame 29, arm 3| and associated parts may be said to comprise anindexing means for the strips or sheets 23, 24 and positioning of theball member 43 thereon.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In cameras of the class described, a copy holder bed, indexing meansfor adjustably guiding characterized cards over said bed, means formasking said cards, means adjustably supporting a member on said bed formovement relatively to characterizations on said cards in severaldirections over the full width of said cards vertically and horizontallywith respect to said characterizations, said last named means comprisingan arm, means including a scale guiding positioning of said armlongitudinally with respect to said characterizations, and other meansfor guiding adjustment of the arm vertically with respect to saidcharacterizations.

2. In cameras of the class described, a copy holder bed, indexing meansfor adjustably guiding characterized cards over said bed, means formasking said cards, means adjustably supporting a member on said bed formovement relatively to characterizations on said cards in severaldirections over the full width of said cards vertically and horizontallywith respect to said characterizations, said last named means comprisingan arm, means including a scale guiding positioning of said armlongitudinally with respect to said characterizations, other means forguiding adjustment of the arm vertically with respect to saidcharacterizations, and means pivotally mounting said arm to swing towardand from said bed.

3. In a camera of the class described, a copy holder bed having an areato be photographed, an elongated masked-out member mounted for movementover said area, means on said member for supporting an element to bephotographed, a slide movable longitudinally of the bed, means foractuating the slide, said slide including a frame extending transverselyof the bed, said member being mounted on a rack bar slidably engagingthe frame, in a direction at right angles to movement of the slide onthe bed, and means adjustably supported on the frame operativelyengaging said rack to adjust the position of said member.

4. In a camera of the class described, a copy holder bed having an areato be photographed, an elongated masked-out member mounted for movementover said area, means on said member for supporting an element to bephotographed, a slide movable longitudinally of the bed, means foractuating the slide, said slide including a frame extending transverselyof the bed, said member being mounted on a rack bar slidably engagingthe frame, in a direction at right angles to movement of the slide onthe bed, means adjustably supported on the frame operatively engagingsaid rack to adjust the position of said member, and said last namedmeans and the slide having scales for guiding adjustment of the slideand rack.

SEYMOUR KNEI'IEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

